Better a Hundred Friends than a Hundred Rubles?

Abstract

The social networks of poor and nonpoor households in the post-Soviet Kyrgyz Republic have polarized and separated, in a process that parallels the sharp socioeconomic stratification that has taken place since national independence in 1991. Not only have the networks separated, each has changed in character. The nonpoor, especially those in urban communities, are moving away from relationships based on ascriptive relationships to more "modern," interest-based networks,

Working Class Subjectivities and Neoliberalisation in Kyrgyzstan: Developing Alternative Moral Selves

“…Praised by international financial institutions for the pace of economic reforms, the government has carried out a vast range of donor-funded programmes that advanced the ideals and values of entrepreneurship, self-governance and self-help (Babajanian 2009). People in rural areas bore the brunt of economic restructuring (see Kuehnast and Dudwick 2004;Spoor 2004;Junisbai 2010;Steimann 2011). In 2012, 38 % of the population was classified as poor, of whom 75 % lived in rural areas and were predominantly ethnic Kyrgyz.…”

“…Kuehnast and Dudwick (2004) argue that social networks in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan are also economically segregated, with rich households largely interacting with other rich households and excluding poor relations from their social circles. Whereas some working class interviewees view the Soviet era with nostalgia, most middle class participants, such as Rasul and Emil, criticise Soviet-style thinking and practices as 'backward'.…”

Forging ahead: Azerbaijan's new generation and social change

“…Some studies across the post-Soviet space illustrate how kin relations provide cultural continuity and sometimes could subvert state structures (Bacon 1966, Lubin 1984, Humphrey 2002, and Kuehnast and Dudwick 2004. In Azerbaijan, social life is historically grounded in family (Heyat 2002), but kinship practices and cultural traditions have also included outsiders (Mars andAltman 1991, Platz 1995).…”

Service Innovation in the Bulgarian Quality Wine Export Networks: Network Migration at a Macro-level

“…A clearly established principle in social network analysis, is that in bad times networks contract and reduce in mutual trust between members, whereas in good times networks expand and increase in trust (Kuchnast and Dudwick, 2004). Given some of the challenging times the Bulgarian agricultural communities have come through, it is hardly surprising that network strength and trust is diminished.…”